Foot-operated control device for automobiles.



J. A. STAPLES. FOOT OPERATED CONTROL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1912.

Patented July 14,1914,

WAN/m BY I [1 l/prne 31 11 show one embodiment of the invention which ATES PATENT ()FFIOE.

JOHN A. swarms, or NEWIBURGH, NEW YORK.

' ,roor-ornaarnn conraonn-avrcn' son auro'momras,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 26, 1912. Serial No. 722,522.

Patented July 14, 1 914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be ,it known that I, JOHN- STAPLES, citizen of the United States, residing at Newburgh, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and .-useful Improvements in Foot-Operated Control Devices for Automobiles; and -I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 1

My lnvention consists in the novel features hereafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which I have selected for the purpose of illustrating the same and the said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to 'the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1 is a top plan view, an embodiment of my improved foot operated coni trol device selected by me for purposes of illustration and showing in dotted lines the position of the foot in respect thereto. Fig. 2 represents a transverse sectional view of the device on line 2-2 of Fig. l, the position of the foot at Fig. ,1 being also indicated in dotted lines in this figure. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of'the device and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same showing in dotted lines the position of the foot in respect thereto.

In the operation of vehicles driven by prime motors it is very desirable that the speed control shall be capable ofoperation by the foot of the driver in order that his tion and control of the steering wheel.

hands may be used entirely for the opera- In vehicle s driven by explosion engines particularly it is, therefore, usual to provide a foot operated lever or treadle connected, for example, with a valve which controls the supply of combustible material to the motor, for the purpose of enabling the speed of the vehicle to be controlled by the foot without removing the hand from the steering wheel.

' These devices are termed accelerators and the foot operated portion thereof is usually movedvertically (orlaterally) "by a pressure of the toe against the action of the spring. This operation of the device necessitates that the operator shall maintain his foot in a position supported partially by the heel with the toe raised from the floor board, the exat position of the foot with respect to the lever or treadle, or other device, being determined by the muscles of the leg and ankle. This imposes a considerable and annoying strain on the muscles of the foot and leg which in long continued driving results in fatigueand pain to the driver, and further the jolting of the vehicle body in passing over rough and uneven roads necessarily results in changes in the position of the driv ers body, which he has a tendency to resist by the pressure of his foot on the floor board,

thus causing him to involuntarily depress the accelerator at inopportune-times under the action of jolting' movements of the ve will be supported at all times in a natural and easy position so that the strain upon the muscles of the foot and leg is reduced to a minimum and which is so constructed that any increase in pressure upon the device due to sudden jolting of the vehicle, or other- Wise, will be transmitted directly to the floor board or other supporting means without affectin contro device or causing involuntarily a change in the adjustment thereof.

In the particular embodiment of my invention which I have selected for purposes of illustration and which is shown in the accompanying drawings, the device consists of a rocking foot supporting device or plate which in its preferred form has its axis of oscillation disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the foot engaging portions of the device and beneath. and between the lateral edges of the device so that the pressure and weight of the portion of the foot engaged by said plate will at all times be supported directly upon the pivotal connection of the plate withits support, the movement of the the adjustment of the foot operated plate or device to effect a variation inthe adjustment of the motor control mechanism being effected by rocking the foot and the plate, transversely of'the foot, thereby depressing one edge of the plate and lifting the other edge.

In the drawings 1 represents the rocking foot engaging plate or device which preferably has its central portion cut away as at Qand is provided on its lower face with depending lugs 8, 3 which are pivotally 'con; nected to corresponding lugs 1 on a base plate 5 secured to the floor board 6 by means of screws 7 or other suitable devices,- the pivots 8 connecting the lugs 3 and 4: being dispose l, as shown, arallel to the foot engaging ortions of t e plate and preferably longitudinally with respect to the position of the foot when it is in engagement therewith. The plate 1 has its outer edge, or the edge farther from the pivotal connection in operative relation with the motor control mechanism, a portion of which is herein shown and. consists in this instance'of a vertically disposed push, rod 9 extending through a Vertical guide 10 in the floor board and being connected pivotally at its lower end with a bell-crank 11 one arm of which is connected to a rod 12, the other end of which is connected to a suitable valve for controlling the supply of combustible material to'the motor if it is an explosion en gine, or said rod may be connected to a rheostat if the motor is an electric motor,

or said rod may be connected to any other form of motor controlling mechanism. The late 1 ismaintained in an inclined position y yielding means and in this instance a spring 13 is shown connected to the bellcrank 11 and holding the vertical rod 9 in its u permost position, a stop 14: being provide on said rod to limit the upward movement thereof. Obviously the spring could be made to act directly upon the plate 1 if desired, .or upon any other part connected therewith. The plate 1 being preferably held normally in an inclined position, I prefer to provide it with means for preventing the foot from sliding off of and becoming disengaged from the plate and in this instance I have shownthe plate provided on its lower edge with a projecting portion 15 which is preferably in the form of an outwardly curved flange, the curvature of said flange conforming substantially to the curvature of the outer side of a shoe sole, so that'said flange not only prevents the operators foot from slipping sidewise but also from slipping in a direction longitudinally of the foot.

In the operation of the device the operator will place the sole portion of his foot upon the .plate' or rocking device 1 inthe position clearly indicated in dotted lines .in

Fig; 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the

plate upon its pivotal connections without disturbing the relation of the foot wlth respect tothe plate. Itwill be noted that the entire weight and pressure of the foot are supported at all times by the plate and respect to the plate, thereby rocking the g the foot board so that the operator is in po- ,si'tionto resist any disturbance to his position which might be occasioned by the jarring of the vehicle in passing over rough and uneven roads and it will be further noted thata sudden shock or jar of the vehicle will not have the effect of altering the adjustment of the plate and its pivotal" axis or affecting the adjustment of the motor control mechanism.

While my improved control device is intended especially for use in the manner hereinbeforedescribed, it may also, if desired by the operator, be used by simply depressing the higher end of theplat-e by the toe of the-operator. Such use of the device is additional to the use with the footin position previously described and may be of advantage in case it is necessary for the operator to quickly depress the plate and throw in thefull power of the motor in an emergency without taking the time to place his foot in the correct position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, or to meet a sudden emergency in case the operator had carelessly removed his foot from proper engagement with the plate.

It will be observed that the device is extremely simple in construction and.can be manufactured very. cheaply. It canalso be attached to any car or vehicle having a vertically disposed push rod for operating the motor control mechanism thereof without material alteration of the mechanism, and

can readily be attached to any type of'mo-' t-omobiles comprising a rocking pedal, a

horizontally disposed pivotal support for the same, having its axis located beneath the foot engaging portion of the pedal, between opposite edges of the. pedal and extending longitudinally of the operators foot, said pivotal support sustaining at all'times the we1 ht and pressure of the engaged portions of t e foot, and means adapted to connect said pedal to the part to be controlled, whereby said pedal may be operated by depressing one of said opposite edges thereof with respect to the other without moving the foot with respect to the pedal, or varying the weight and pressure of the foot supported thereby.

2. A foot operated control device for automobiles comprising a rocking pedal, a horizontally disposed pivotal support for the same, having its axis located beneath the pedal, between opposite edges thereof and extending longitudinally of the operators foot, said pivotal support sustaining at all times the weight and pressure of the engaged portion of the foot, said pedal being provided with lateral foot engaging means for retaining the foot in operative relation therewith, and means adapted to connect said pedal to the part to be controlled, whereby said edal may be operated by depressing one of said opposite edges thereof with respect to the other without moving the foot with respect to the pedal, or varying the weight and pressure of the foot supported thereby.

3. A foot operated control device for automobiles, comprising a rocking pedal, adapted to engage'the sole portion of the foot of the operator and be of less length than the foot to permit the heel of the foot to rest upon and be supported by the adjacent floor-- ing in the rear of the pedal, a pivotal support for said pedal having its axis disposed horizontally, located beneath the pedal and between the lateral edges thereof and extending longitudinally of the operators foot,

and means adapted to connect the said pedal to the part to be controlled, whereby the said pedal may be operated by depressing one of said opposite edges with respect to the other while the entire weight and pressure of the foot is supported at all times by said pivotal support and the heel engaging portion of the flooring.

4. A foot operated control device for automobiles, comprising among its members a rocking edal for engaging the sole of the foot,-saiol pedal being ofless length than the foot to permit the heel of the foot to engage the fiooringin rear of said pedal, a pivotal support for said pgdal having its axis horizontally disposed, located beneath the pedal and between the o posite lateral edges thereof and extending ongitudinally of the operators foot, said pedal being provided with means for preventing the longitudinal movement of .the foot with respect thereto, and

means adapted to connect said pedal to the part to be controlled, whereby said pedal may be operated by rocking the same transversely of the foot While the entire weight of the foot is supported by said pivotal support and the heel engaging portion of the flooring.

5. A foot operated control device for auto mobiles, comprisingamong its members a rocking pedal for engaging the sole of the foot, said pedal being of less length than the foot to permit the heel of the foot to engage the flooring in rear of said pedal, a

pivotal support for said pedal having its axis horizontally disposed, located beneath the pedal and between the opposite lateral edges thereof and extending longitudinally of the operators foot, said pedal being provided adjacent to one of its lateral edges with a flange for engaging the foot and preventing it from moving laterally, said flange being curved outwardly to prevent the l'ongitudinal movement of the foot w1th respect to. thepedal, and means adapted to connect saidpedal to the part to be controlled, whereby said pedal may be 0 eraxis horizontally disposed, located beneath the pedal and between the'opposite lateral edges thereof and extending longitudinally of the operators foot, yielding means for holding said pedal in a transversely inclined position, said pedal having its lower lateral edge provided with foot engaging means for retaining the foot in engagement there- -with, and means adapted to connect said pedal to the part to be controlled, whereby said pedal may be rocked transversely against the tension of said yielding means while the entire weight and pressure of the foot is supported by said pivotal support and the heel engaging portion of the floor- A foot operated control device for automobiles, comprising among its members a rocking pedal for engaging the sole of the foot, said pedal being of less length than the foot to permit the heel of the foot to engage the flooring in rear of said pedal, a pivotal support for said pedal having its axis horizontally disposed, located beneath the pedal and between the opposite lateral edges thereof and extending longitudinally of the operators foot, yielding means for supporting the pedal in a transversely inclined position, and means adapted to connect said pedal to the part to be controlled, including a vertically movable operating rod engaging said pedal adjacent to the normally elevated side of the same, said pedal having its opposite side provided with means for retainingthe foot in engagement therewith, whereby said In testimony whereof I aifix my signature, pledal may kif e rgckedidtransversely ggainst in the'pre'sence of two Witnesses. t e tension 0 s'ai ie in means to e ress v said operating rodi while the entire w ight Y JOHN STAPLES 5 and pressure of the foot is supported by the Witnesses:

pedal and the heel "engaging portion of the E. W. WYATT, flooring. L. F. WHITAKER.

' $0910; of "I." pltent my be obtained for five rents each, by addressing the Commissioner Patents.

Washington, D. G." 

